Alarm-controlling mechanism for clocks



June 26, 1923.

T. S. CASNER ALARM CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS l3 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ori gina Filed Sept.

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uvN Mm F a Q June 26, 1923.

T. s. CASNER ALARM CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS Original Filed Sept. 13. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS STEPHENS CASHIER, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB, BY IE8 ASSIGNMENTS, TO GEORGE BAWAK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ALARM-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CLDCKS.

Application filed September 18, 1920, Serial No. 411,071. Renewed Kay 8, 1918.

ergizing a signal, such as an alarm bell,

light, or similar device. The invention is especially adapted to be utilized in combination with electrically driven secondary clocks and will be disclosed in such a combination, but it is not limited in this respect, being also adapted for use with spring driven or other cloc s.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved alarm circuit controlling attachment device of this class which is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and convenient and accurate in use. An important feature of the invention resides in the novel means for setting the alarm and permanently. i'nterrupting the circuit, a single manually, operable member being provided for this purpose, this member having two different and distinct movements, one movement resulting in the making or breaking the alarm circuit and the. alarm being set gal the second movement of the. member.

is member extends to the front of the clock casing so that the alarm may be set and also the alarm circuit broken from the front and without opening the clock casing.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the construction of the alarm I pointer and the manner in which it is supported, this alarm pointer being disposed in front of the clock dial and supported by the dial. A further novel feature IPSit es in the means whereby the alarm may be adjusted to ring at any predetermined hour. Other important features of novelty will be apparent as tlre invention is disclosed in the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the center'of an electrically. driven secondary wall clock, having the invention incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a' rear elevation of the clock;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

.Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig ure 3.

The clock illustrated in the accompanying drawings and herein described is an electrically driven secondary clock especially adapted to be placed in the wall of a room, as in the wall of a hotel room or office, the electric drive mechanism being of a type illustrated, described and claimed in application Serial No. 362,383 filed' March 1, 1920 by Mortimer D. Metcalf. This drive mechanism is silent in operation, the moving parts having no limiting stops to cause mechanical sounds. The clock frame comprises a front plate 10 having aligned end portions and a. depressed central portion, a relatively small plate 11 in the recess of the front plate and a rear plate 12, the several plates being held in spaced relation by suitable spacing and securing members. clamped-between plates 10 and 12 are the magnet yoke 13 and the insulating block 14. Electro-magnets 15 and 16 are suspended from the op site ends of yoke 13 and the pole pieces 1 and 18 of these magnets lie respectively on opposite sides of the shaft 19 having its ends rotatably mounted in plates 10 and 11. On

'this shaft are mounted, for rotation therewith the 'S-shaped armature '20, the mercury'tube 20' and the small inion 20. Intermittent energization of .tlie electro-magnets causes the intermittent rotation of shaft, the mercury tube, and pinion 20 the action of this driving mechanism being fully set forth in the application above'referred to. Briefly stated this action is as follows: The mercury-itube 20', which is hollow and contains a small amount of mercury free to run from end to endv thereof. is rotated about shaft 19' as an axis, through an angle between 90and 180 when the magnets are energized, "it being apparent that the shaped armature 20 will rotate through such an angle in the direction of the arrow (Figure 2) when the magnets are energized. The mercury in the tube then flows from the high end to the low end thereof and when the magnets are deenergized the weight of this mercury will cause -thetube to conill) theoperation of the clock the magnets may be energized at any suitable intervals such as at'intervals of one'minute, the exact interval being determined'by the gearing interposed between the shaft 19 and the hour and minute hand shafts.

The hour sleeve or hollow shaft is indicated at 21, being rotatably supported upon the minute shaft 22, the latter shaft being in turn supported in plates 10 and 11, the axisorthe hour and minute shafts being parallel to the axis of shaft 19. Minute shaft 22 and drive shaft 19. are connected by gearing which comprises pinion 20 gear 24, pinion 25 and gear 26 loosely mounted on. the minute shaft but frictionally bound thereto by a spring member 27 which presses strongly against the rear face of gear 26 and against pin 28 which extends through shalt I 22. spring frictional connection between shaft 22 and gear 26 permits the hands to be adjusted or set without disturbing the searing or drive, mechanism, and is a well rnown construction in cloclr mechanism. The minute shaft 22iand the hour shaft are connected by the usual reducing gearing comprising in this instance, pinion 29 se-- cured to sliual'ft 22, gear 30 and pinion 31 secured together for simultaneously revolution and mounted on short shaft 32, and gear secured to the hour sleeve, which gear tates once in 12 hours, thereby causing the hour sleeve to have a. similar rotation.

The dial of the clock is indicated at and this dial is secured to the front plate 10 by three screws 35. The glass rests upon 3? and is secured in place by bevel 38 which is also secured to the frame 10 by three screws, that is, by screws 39. Hour and minute shafts 21 and 22 extend through a central erture in the dial and also ex tending t rough this aperture and rotatably supported therein is a hub 40 which supports on its outer end the alarm pointer 41 and upon its inner end the large insulating disc The disc 42 has a toothed periphery and its teeth mesh with the teeth of a small gear 43 which is slidably mounted upon a non-circular and preferably square portion of a spindle 44, this spindle being rotatably and slidably supported in a suitable aperture in the front plate 10 and having at its outerend a head 45 with a knurled edge. The spindle 44 is manually rotatable for the purpose of rotating 43, and hence disc 42, in eitherdirection and may be moved longitudinally through a limited distance, so that its tapered inner end portion 44 will move laterally the lower end of the pivoted lever 46. A knob or button 44 on the inner end of the spindle prevents it from being withdrawn.

The lower end of lever 46 is constantly ea er/o pressed againstthe tapered portion 44 of the spindle by a tension spring 47 Figure 3 having one end secured to the plate 10 and its other end to'the lever 46 above its pivotal point. It will be seen that it spindle 44 is moved inwardly (Figures 1 and 3) lever 46 will be rocked against the action of spring 47 and that upon its outer movement the spring will return it to original position. To the upper end of lever 48 is secured an insulating blade 48 which is adapted to move between the spring contact 49 secured to an insulating block 50 Figure 5 attached to the frame, and the cont-act ring 51 concentrically mounted on the rear face of the insulating disc 42. By pushing the spindle 44 inwardly therefore, contact spring 49 and contact ring 51 are separated and electrically insulated from. each other by the insulating blade 48.

Spring49 is connected to a battery and an electric hell or other alarm signal and con tact ring 51 is connected through the frame of'the clock and through a second switch,

with the opposite pole of the battery. This second switch comprises a pin or stud 52 Figure 4 secured to gear 33 and projecting forwardly therefrom, and a spring contact 53 mounted on the front face of disc 42 and having an end portion 53 extending through an aperture 42 in the disc. The spring contact 53 is electrically connected to contact ring by rivet 51 which extends through the insulating disk (Figure 3). The portion 53 of the spring contact lies in the path of the stud 52 and as the latter revolves once in 12 hours about the hour sand sleeve as an axis, it will contact with the spring contact once in each 12 hours. ll lien spring contact 49 and contact ring 51 are together and also stud 52 and spring contact 53, u complete circuit is made through the clock frame, wires 54 and 55 and the battery signalling device (not illustrated). This contact is made for an appreciable length of time which will be the time necessary for the stud 52 to completely pass the contact 53. and it may be one minute, five minutes, or longer if found desirable. The angular position of contact 53 determines the hour at which the circuit will thus be completed. and the position of contact 53 may be changed by rotating disk 42 by means oi wardly, separating spring 49 and ring 51 breaking the alarm circuit. If the circuit is not thus broken, the alarm will continue to rin until the stud 52 has passed completelg y the end portion of 53 of spring 53.

f course additional switches may be placed in the alarm circuit if desired so that it may be broken at other points than at the clock.

' The clock may be adapted for many different uses, as for instance, as a desk clock,-

- a mantel clock, tower clock etc. It is especi'ally adapted for use as a wall clock in a school, hotel or ofiice building and is simple, compact, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and thoroughly satisfactory in all respects.

The clock illustrated and described is one embodiment of the invention which has proven to be satisfactory in practice; it will be understood, however, that the design and arrangement of the component parts of thenism also supported on the frame, including a spring contact, a rotatable insulating member havin a contact ring thereon against which file spring contact normally bears, and manuallyv operable means for separating said spring contact and contact member having a contact ring thereon 4. In a clock, in combination, a frame,

against which the spring contact normalliy bears, and manually operable means inclu ing an insulating la e insertable between said ring and spring contact, for separating 'said ring and spring contact, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a clock, in combination, a frame, clockmechanism supported on the frame, and an electrical alarm controlling mechanism also supported on the frame, including a spring contact, a rotatable insulating member having'a contact ring thereon against which the spring contact normally bears,

-' and manually operable means including a pivoted lever for separating said spring contact and contact ring, for the purpose set forth.

.ing a pivoted lever having an insulating blade secured thereto, for separating said ring and spring contact, for the purpose set forth. 5. In a clock, in combination, a frame, clock mechanism supported on the frame, and an electrical alarm controlling mechanism also supported on the frame, includmg circuit interrupting and alarm setting means, and a single manually operable member for operating either of said means.

6. In a clock, incombination, a frame, clock mechanism supported on the frame, and an electrical alarm controlling mechanism, also supported on the frame, including circuit interrupting and alarm setting means, and a rotatable and longitudinally movable manually operable member for operating either of said means.

- 7. In a clock, in combination, a frame, clock mechanism supported on the frame and an electrical alarm controllin mechanism also supported on the frame, including a' circuit interrupting lever and an alarm setting means and a single manually operable spindle for operating either of said means.

8..In a clock, in combination, a frame, clock mechanism supported on the frame, and an electrical alarm controlling mechanism also supported on the frame, including. a circuit interrupting member and alarm'setting means, and a spindle slidably and rotatably supported in the frame, said spindle having a tapered portion engaging t e circuit interrupting member and having a portion operatively connected to said alarm setting means.

9. In a clock, in combination, a frame, clock mechanism supported on the frame, and an electrical alarm controlling mechanism also supported on the frame, including a circuit interrupting member and alarm setting means, said alarm setting means 1ncluding a gear having a square central opening, and a spindle slidablv and rotatably supported in the frame, said spindle having a tapered portion engaging the circuit 1nterrupting member and having a squared portion slidably fitting 1n the opening in said gear.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THADDEUS STEPHENS CASNER. 

